Marine Bridge closure causes fresh concerns over Apapa port congestion

Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) has lamented that the prolonged closure of a section of the outbound lane of Marine Bridge is slowing down the evacuation of goods cleared from the Lagos Port Complex, Apapa.

The Chairman, STOAN, Vicky Haastrup, who stated this, expressed concerns that the frequent partial closure of the busy bridge has affected the movement of trucks in and out of the port.

She said comprehensive repair work of the third mainland bridge, which is much longer than the Marine Bridge, was carried out within five months, while that of the Marine Bridge has been ongoing for more than two years without noticeable appreciable progress of the repair work being done.

According to her, cargo backlogs at the port inevitably lead to congestion and vessel queues, noting that this affects importers and agents who will pay more to clear their cargoes, the cost of which will eventually be borne by the masses.

“The Marine bridge is very strategic to operations at the nation’s largest seaport. Its partial closure has affected the movement of trucks in and out of the port. We all know that trucks remain the primary means of cargo evacuation from the seaports. When there is no free flow of traffic, cargoes are held up in the port and when this happens, it impacts negatively on economic activities in the country,” she explained.

She appealed to the Federal Ministry of Works to speed up ongoing repairs on the closed section of the bridge to ensure its prompt reopening, avoid port congestion and reduce the sufferings of commuters.